Virginia Beach Real Estate: Market Report May 2008

Virginia Beach Real Estate Market Report

A modest gain in the level of home sales is possible over the next couple months, and an improvement is forecast for the second half of this year as more buyers are able to access affordable mortgages, according to the latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors^®.

The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in April, rose 6.3 percent to 88.2 from a reading of 83.0 in March. It's the highest index since last October, but remains 13.1 percent lower than April 2007 when it stood at 101.5.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said pending sales contracts have picked up notably in areas undergoing significant price drops. "Bargain hunters have entered the market en masse, especially in areas that have experienced double-digit price declines, but it's unclear if they are investors or owner-occupants," he said.

Let's take a look at the Virginia Beach real estate market activity to see how the spring market is shaping up.

Virginia Beach May 2008 Sales Statistics

Residential sales in Virginia Beach dropped by 25 percent in May compared to May 2007, causing the average market time to increase 323 percent, from 51 days to 74 days. The median sales price decreased less than 1 percent, while the average sale price increased 9 percent to $338,609.

What do these statistics mean for Virginia Beach real estate buyers and sellers?

Virginia Beach residential sales have not started to pick up, which means more inventory for buyers to choose from and motivated sellers. The good news for sellers is Virginia Beach real estate fared better than South Hampton Roads with a 9 percent increase in prices compared to a 2 percent increase for the region as a whole.

Also read:
Virginia Beach Real Estate: South Hampton Roads Market Report May 2008Fannie Mae Lowers Down Payments For Virginia Beach Real Estate Borrowers
Virginia Beach Real Estate: Luxury Home Buyers Wanted

To learn more about Virginia Beach real estate, please contact us at 866-222-0158 #550 or visit ButlerTeamHomes.com or AllVirginiaBeachRealEstate.com.

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Statistics compiled from Real Estate Information Network. They are deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.